West Essex and East Hertfordshire charity, St Clare Hospice, recognised the service of more than 60 volunteers at their recent Long Service Award event. The celebration event was held at Harlow Rugby Club on Friday 17th March and saw 63 volunteers receive awards.
In total, those given awards had donated a combined total of 680 years’ of service to the Hospice.
The event was the first of four volunteer awards events planned to be held this year, with more than 300 volunteers scheduled to receive a long service award in 2023.
The awards ranged from 5 years’ voluntary service to more than 30 years’ service – with the top award being given to three volunteers. Audrey Marlow, Anne Gould and Peter Gould all attended and received their 30 years’ service award. The trio have all volunteered since the founding of the Hospice, which was officially registered as a charity in April 1990.
Audrey Marlow (from Harlow) was a founding member of the Harlow Friends fundraising group. Over more than three decades, the group has fundraised around £160,000 for the Hospice. Whilst Anne and Peter Gould (from Harlow) established the Hospice’s Open Gardens fundraising campaign which has run annually since 1994.
Amongst the other volunteers receiving top awards were Rosemary Saines (from Great Dunmow) and Christine Rolph (from Great Dunmow) who both received awards for 25 years’ service. The pair have volunteered in the Great Dunmow charity shop since it was first opened; with Rosemary sorting the books and Christine working on the till. In total, it is estimated that the pair have donated over 7,000 hours each during their service.
Stacey Towler, Volunteer Development Manager, said: “We were delighted to host an event to thank and celebrate our amazing volunteers for all they do for the Hospice. St Clare simply could not deliver the outstanding care it does, without the support of the more than 500 volunteers who give up their time – week in and week out.”
Stacey continued:
“Volunteers support the Hospice across all the teams – whether they volunteer in our charity shops or as fundraising supporters, work in the gardens, Inpatient Unit or visiting people in the local community.
Volunteers have jumped out of planes for us, planted millions of seed and nurtured them to bloom, baked hundreds of cakes, and made copious amounts of tea!
Most importantly of all, they have made so much difference to people on one of life’s most difficult journeys. Supporting them, and their friends and family, in what can be the darkest of days.”
For more information on the volunteering opportunities available at St Clare Hospice, please visit:
https://stclarehospice.org.uk/volunteervacancies/
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Photo 1: Audrey Marlow, Anne Gould and Peter Gould receiving their 30 year award
Photo 2: Rosemary Saines and Christine Rolph receiving their 25 year award
Photo 3: More than 60 volunteers were recognised at the Long Service Award event Notes to editors:
St Clare Hospice is a charity providing specialist palliative care for people living with terminal or life- limiting illnesses across West Essex and East Herts border. We care for patients and their families, providing physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual support, and ensuring they have timely access to skilled, compassionate and sensitive care in a place of their choice. Our services are free of charge to those who need our care, but cost around £5 million a year to run. With limited NHS funding we need to fundraise the majority of this each year through donations and other voluntary sources.
stclarehospice @hospicestclare @stclarehospice
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